From the Publisher | June/July 2018
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the 2018 Women in Business issue. This month our staff spoke with women who have taken the reins of traditionally male-dominated industries.
I know firsthand what it is like to walk into a boardroom and be the only woman in the room. That was my experience 30 years ago when I was entering the world of media ownership and management. Women subsequently have made strides in the field of publishing and digital media, as well as many other industries traditionally dominated by men, but we continue to recognize and celebrate those who blaze new paths in these areas.
Auto dealerships are an area where top administrative roles for women have lagged historically. According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, there are 16,708 new car dealerships and 20,000 independent dealerships, yet women make up less than 25 percent of auto dealer owners. Although still below their male counterparts, progress has been made in this area over the past decades.
Meet Lacy Adams. Adams grew up in the auto industry with her dad, Harry Adams of Johnson Bros. Ford-Lincoln in Temple. Throughout her life, Adams has worked in every department of the business. When she joined the dealership in 2007, Adams took her first step to becoming general manager. This past April, Adams was promoted to that position and joined the ranks of women in the automotive industry.
Tranum Auto in Temple is a family-owned dealership led by Anna Tranum Kessler, dealer principal, and her sister, Christina Tranum Trammell, general manager. Their sister, Lisa, lives in Dallas but is still a co-owner. Although Christina left for a while in 2011, she came back to fill in temporarily for a staff member on medical leave and never left.
Paula Goode Lohse, dealer principal of Toyota of Killeen, is a lifelong Killeenite. She was born and reared at a time when downtown Killeen was the city center and the rest of the area was rural. Her parents initially owned Heights State Bank, now Extraco Banks. In 1990, a partnership was formed to purchase Toyota of Killeen and in 2002, Lohse became the dealer principal.
Barbara Bozon is the executive director of the Central Texas Housing Consortium. She is a certified public accountant and is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of 1,183 units in Temple and Belton. She makes it a point to see that her residents have clean, affordable housing and a guiding hand to help them grow into a better quality of life.
Jarrah Crotty, owner of Crotty Funeral Home in Belton is someone who is changing the face of the funeral business. More and more women are becoming funeral directors and putting a woman’s touch on helping people plan the final journey for a loved one. She helps her clients celebrate the life of a loved one by personalizing their final farewell and recently, she introduced Libby, a certified therapy and comfort dog that has already made a difference with grieving families making final arrangements.
Keeping up with Sandra Skinner, owner of Ashley HomeStores in Killeen, can be a challenge. Furniture is in her DNA. She grew up in the furniture business, beginning in Oklahoma, where her dad owned a store before moving the family to Killeen. Now she owns two furniture stores in Killeen. She headquarters out of her W.S. Young store that also is home to the Kids Store. Her second Ashley HomeStore is on Interstate 14 in Killeen. When she is not at one of her stores, she is helping the community through Furniture for Families or giving back to the soldiers at Fort Hood.
Jessica Walker knows the lumber business. She is co-owner of Lengefeld Lumber with her husband, Bruce. Lengefeld Lumber was started in 1951 by Bruce’s grandfather and they are the third generation to run the business. In addition to her busy day at the lumberyard, Jessica recently was sworn in as Temple’s District 1 councilwoman.
The working women of Central Texas, regardless of position, are valuable assets to our community and we are proud to acknowledge and recognize some of their noteworthy accomplishments. I sincerely hope you enjoy the Women in Business issue.
Sue Mayborn
Tex Appeal Publisher